The natives of the Macleay River (Queensland) bleed themselves, and cook and eat the blood, which they believe will cure them of all ailments. The bleeding is carefully done, a piece of broken shell being used as the cutting instrument. Another revolting practice is mentioned as common amongst the Macleay River tribes in cases of illness:—"The wife or gin of the sick man procures a hollow conjeboi leaf, and a strong piece of string made of opossum fur closely twisted; she then draws the string violently backwards and forwards against her gums, until they are terribly lacerated and bleed profusely. She spits out the blood, as it exudes, into the conjeboi leaf, and continues to saw her gums until she has obtained a considerable quantity of blood, which is then swallowed by the sick man."[1]
Belief and hope are often more powerful in their effects than the medicines of the pharmacopœia. The native believes in the curative properties of his vapour bath, his decoction of geranium, his bleedings, his kneadings and pressings and treadings; the sucking of the parts affected; the existence of pieces of wood or twine or bone in his body; in the power of the doctor to extract them, and in the wild incantations and dances of the old men; and the hope which is engendered by his unfaltering faith strengthens him, and he recovers.
Absurd as many of their practices may seem, revolting as some of them are, they are not more absurd or revolting than the methods of cure adopted by the more ignorant among the peasants of Europe.
The following letters relating to the diseases of the Aborigines appeared in the first report of the Board for the Protection of the Aborigines:—
District Police Court,
Melbourne, 8th November 1860.
Sir,
I have the honor to forward reply to your communication of the 13th ultimo, touching the diseases most common to Aborigines and mortality among them.
1. Although the Aborigines of this colony are liable to the usual diseases of Europeans, I invariably found, years back, that they seldom had the common diseases, as rheumatism, &c., to the extent Europeans have. Yet, I may state that eight-tenths of the mortality among the Aborigines of Victoria arises through intemperance, bringing on pulmonary disorders, pleurisy, pneumonia, disorders of the chest, consumption, &c., which carry them off so speedily that the ablest medical treatment, when available, seldom saves them. I may safely state, that when their respiratory organs are once affected, recovery becomes hopeless. I have witnessed this so invariably within the last ten years as to look forward for death as soon as they are afflicted in the chest.
2. The Aborigines, however, were not so affected in their respiratory organs years back as at present; they have only been carried off so precipitately since they have become slaves to intoxicating liquors. I have known blacks, years back, to labor under diseases of the lungs for nine or more months, but now seldom so many weeks, and often not so many days.
- ↑ From Port Macquarie to Moreton Bay, by C. Hodgkinson, 1845, p. 228.
